In the Top 10 of the new Billboard 200, Dolly Parton achieves her highest-charting album ever - and third top 10 - as Rockstar opens at #3.
The Billboard 200 chart ranks the most popular albums of the week in the US based on multi-metric consumption as measured in equivalent album units, compiled by Luminate. Units comprise album sales, track equivalent albums (TEA) and streaming equivalent albums (SEA). Each unit equals one album sale, or 10 individual tracks sold from an album, or 3,750 ad-supported or 1,250 paid/subscription on-demand official audio and video streams generated by songs from an album. The new December 2, 2023-dated chart will be posted in full on Billboard‘s website on Tuesday (November 28).
Parton’s Rockstar makes a splashy debut at #3 on the Billboard 200, scoring the legend her highest-charting album ever and her third top 10. She previously visited the region with Blue Smoke (#6 in 2014) and Trio (her collaborative set with Linda Ronstadt and Emmylou Harris; #6 in 1987).
Rockstar launches with 128,000 equivalent album units earned in the week ending November 23. Of that sum, album sales comprise 118,500, SEA units comprise 8,000 and TEA units comprise 1,500. The arrival marks Parton’s biggest week, by units earned, since the chart began measuring by units in December 2014. Further, with 118,500 copies sold, Parton achieves her biggest sales week for an album in the modern era, since Luminate began electronically tracking sales in 1991. She more than doubles her previous biggest week, notched in 1993 when Slow Dancing With the Moon sold 50,500 copies in its second week on the chart (rising 54-19 on the March 20, 1993-dated list).
The star-studded Rockstar was promoted as Parton’s first rock album (she’s primarily released country music in her nearly 60-year career), and its recording was sparked by Parton’s induction into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame in 2022. The 30-song set has a mix of original songs and covers, and boasts a cavalcade of guest stars - 40 in all. Among them are Pat Benatar, Miley Cyrus, Melissa Etheridge, Joan Jett and the Blackhearts, Elton John, Lynyrd Skynyrd, Paul McCartney, Stevie Nicks, Chris Stapleton, Ringo Starr, Sting and Steven Tyler.
Rockstar’s first-week sales were bolstered by its availability across a variety of editions and formats, in addition to some non-traditional music retailers including Cracker Barrel, Dollar General and HSN. The album’s CD edition was available in four editions — a standard version and three variants, each with alternative cover art: for HSN, with three bonus tracks; a Dallas Cowboys version, and a Tennessee Volunteers edition with a bonus track. The latter two were tied to a pair of high-profile live TV performances from Parton: during the Georgia Bulldogs vs. Tennessee Volunteers football game on November 19, and during halftime of the Washington Commanders vs. Dallas Cowboys football game on Thanksgiving Day (November 23).
Rockstar was pressed on more than 10 vinyl variants, including exclusive editions (all in different colors, some with different cover art) for Amazon, Barnes & Noble, independent record stores, Parton’s webstore, the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame store, Target and Walmart. Parton’s webstore also carried a deluxe digital download version of the album with three exclusive bonus tracks. Rockstar was also offered in multiple deluxe boxed sets, sold through Parton’s webstore, containing either a vinyl or CD version of the album with a branded T-shirt of various designs.
Rockstar tracklisting:
"Rockstar" (with special guest Richie Sambora)
"World On Fire"
"Every Breath You Take" (feat. Sting)
"Open Arms" (feat. Steve Perry)
"Magic Man" (feat. Ann Wilson with special guest Howard Lee)
"Long As I Can See The Light" (feat. John Fogerty)
"Either Or "(feat. Kid Rock)
"I Want You Back" (feat. Steven Tyler & special guest Warren Haynes)
"What Has Rock And Roll Ever Done For You" (feat. Stevie Nicks & special guest Waddy Wachtel)
"Purple Rain"
"Baby, I Love Your Way" (feat. Peter Frampton)
"I Hate Myself For Loving You" (feat. Joan Jett & The Blackhearts)
"Night Moves" (feat. Chris Stapleton)
"Wrecking Ball" (feat. Miley Cyrus)
"(I Can’t Get No) Satisfaction" (feat. P!nk & Brandi Carlile)
"Keep On Loving You" (feat. Kevin Cronin)
"Heart Of Glass" (feat. Debbie Harry)
"Don’t Let The Sun Go Down On Me" (feat. Elton John)
"Tried To Rock And Roll Me" (feat. Melissa Etheridge)
"Stairway To Heaven" (feat. Lizzo & Sasha Flute)
"We Are The Champions"
"Bygones" (feat. Rob Halford with special guests Nikki Sixx & John 5)
"My Blue Tears" (feat. Simon Le Bon)
"What’s Up?" (feat. Linda Perry)
"You’re No Good" (feat. Emmylou Harris & Sheryl Crow)
"Heartbreaker" (feat. Pat Benatar & Neil Giraldo)
"Bittersweet" (feat. Michael McDonald)
"I Dreamed About Elvis" (feat. Ronnie McDowell with special guest The Jordanaires)
"Let It Be" (feat. Paul McCartney & Ringo Starr with special guests Peter Frampton & Mick Fleetwood)
"Free Bird" (feat. Ronnie Van Zant with special guests Gary Rossington, Artimus Pyle and The Artimus Pyle Band)
"What’s Up?" video:
"Wrecking Ball":
"Let It Be":
"We Are The Champions"/"We Will Rock You":
"Bygones":
"Magic Man":
"World On Fire":
